"What a beautiful day. I have a feeling something good is going to happen..."
Chen Yao returned to school. He glanced at the lush leaves outside the window and the serene blue sky, took a sip of hot water, and thought.
"This is bad! Something big happened! Classmate Yukinoshita and Classmate Kagami from Class J are having a conflict!"
As a result, a boy who loved drama shouted at the door, causing the entire class and building to stir.
"Pfft——!"
Chen Yao immediately spat out his drink, coughed for a long while, and turned his head, looking astonished in that direction.
What was going on so early in the morning?
Chapter 005: The Storm in the Secret Room (Please vote)
The sky suddenly became overcast, the wind outside roared, and the previously clear sky grew dim. The two girls standing in the corridor looked at each other. Yukinoshita Yukino's skirt fluttered, and her clear, deep eyes reflected Kagaribi no Kiriue's disdainful face. The wind in the corridor quietly swept through their hair.
Chen Yao witnessed the grand spectacle of this high-level duel without expression. He didn't know what kind of look he should show; every slight movement would affect the entire tense battle.
Undoubtedly, Yukinoshita Yukino, hidden in the shadows, clearly had the superior aura. Her presence was like that of a veteran of countless battles. Her black bangs swayed slightly in the wind, and her gaze was as calm as water. She was already at the level of a famous general who had slain countless enemies; merely standing there, she possessed the deterrence of claiming an enemy's head without drawing her sword.
Meanwhile, her opponent, Kagaribi no Kiriue, frowned deeply and was drenched in sweat. Although her strength was not weak, her level was merely that of an ordinary tsundere swordswoman. While she usually had no problem fighting a hundred people alone, this time she had encountered a Thousand-Slayer Girl. Her expression already showed strain... In the chilling atmosphere, the two girls had exchanged blows several times. Although the verbal attack capability between the girls was breathtaking, it was clear that the moment of victory or defeat was approaching... "Classmate Chen Yao, be quiet!"
"Hey, you next door, can you stop talking!?"
Suddenly, Yukinoshita Yukino and Kagaribi no Kiriue both turned their heads and, in unison, told Chen Yao, who was analyzing the battle situation for his Classmates, to shut up.
Chen Yao realized he had alarmed them and quickly quieted down. The Classmates in the corridor all felt it was a pity when they saw he stopped explaining, as the exchange student's recent analysis had truly maximized the atmosphere and was captivating.
"So, Classmate Kagami, do you mean you won't accept mediation and refuse the Service Club's assistance in resolving this conflict?"
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at Kagaribi no Kiriue with focused, spirited eyes and asked.
"Hmph, of course. The problem isn't mine, so why should I cooperate with you? Furthermore, I don't recognize your Service Club. Please step aside and stop disturbing my peaceful school life."
Kagaribi no Kiriue replied with a cold smile.
However, although she sounded tough, her situation was indeed close to what Chen Yao had described. Her position was genuinely dangerous just now. This beauty from the Service Club was incredibly sharp when it came to sarcasm and arguing, effortlessly using a few words that she found difficult to parry, forcing her to desperately "block with her sword."
Moreover... she noticed Chen Yao, the exchange student. He was the mysterious person whose blood had the smell of hot rust, and he was also the man who had done something excessive to her. Her gaze was full of hostility, thinking that she would settle this score with them sooner or later.
"Hmph, I won't argue with you anymore. Please leave, I have class."
Saying this, Kagaribi no Kiriue, who was clearly losing, finally "retracted her sword," turned around arrogantly, ignored the disgusted looks of the surrounding girls, and entered the classroom.
"Sigh..."
Yukinoshita Yukino sighed. She regretted being somewhat reckless in approaching the requested party, Kagaribi no Kiriue, to understand the situation, which had led to such a large disturbance and would trouble the teachers.
"Classmate Chen Yao, you seemed to be having quite a good time."
Soon, the black-haired Yukinoshita Yukino turned her head, her beautiful face showing a somewhat chilling smile, and asked.
"No, no, no, I was just spouting nonsense..." Chen Yao swallowed. This Snow Woman seemed ready to test her sword on him.
Yukinoshita Yukino gazed at Chen Yao, wondering why this guy, who usually disliked meddling in others' business, suddenly came to watch. However, she also noticed that Kagaribi no Kiriue had stared at him for quite some time. After the onlookers dispersed, she called out to Chen Yao, who was also preparing to leave.
"Classmate Chen Yao, do you know Classmate Kagami?"
"No, I don't know her. Why?"
Chen Yao stopped and countered with a question.
"Then do you understand Classmate Kagami? I feel like there's some sense of familiarity between you two."
Yukinoshita Yukino frowned slightly, seemingly concerned about their relationship.
Chen Yao was stunned. Speaking of which, he and Kagaribi no Kiriue did have a slight connection—they were both considered outliers in the school—but otherwise, they had no involvement. He then asked suspiciously, "Classmate Yukinoshita, what exactly do you need Classmate Kagami for?"
Yukinoshita Yukino eventually led Chen Yao to the Service Club. She pulled open the wooden door of the club room, revealing a few chairs, a table, several teacups, and a kettle. This was the legendary Service Club room.
"I received a request from a student in Class B concerning Classmate Kagaribi no Kiriue. A serious conflict has erupted in their class, where a group of girls is ostracizing Classmate Kagami, the transfer student. I had already questioned the other girls last week, so this Monday I intended to verify the situation with Classmate Kagami, but she turned out to be extremely resistant."
Yukinoshita Yukino walked into the empty club room, brushed her hair back with her hand, and explained.
No wonder such a nasty incident—Yukinoshita Yukino "slaying" Kagaribi no Kiriue—suddenly happened early in the morning. It turned out to be a major outbreak of conflict in Class B. Chen Yao pondered briefly and asked, "The real reason isn't just girls ganging up on Classmate Kagami out of jealousy because she's popular, is it?"
"Hah, I suspect that's the case. However, before solving a problem, you must first understand the problem to make the correct choice."
Yukinoshita Yukino sighed, then stated the Service Club's principle for solving problems.
...
Chen Yao looked at Yukinoshita Yukino's back. For some reason, although he disliked her constantly using the authority granted by the teachers to control him, but in terms of mindset and justice, Yukinoshita Yukino was still trustworthy.
The Service Club's activity is to help students in need—give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. Although they receive no compensation or benefits, this approach is clearly a bit foolish. But the world runs smoothly thanks to these "fools"... Chen Yao quite liked these kinds of "fools"... "Have a seat first. What tea would you like, black tea or green tea? Yuihama student also brought coffee."
Yukinoshita Yukino had been taught the rules of hospitality since childhood. Holding the tea set, she prepared to retrieve the tea leaves from the small storage room adjacent to the club room. Although it was called a partitioned small warehouse, it was really just a utility closet separated by wooden boards.
"Then I'll trouble you for a cup of black tea."
Chen Yao sat not far from the small storage room door, turned his head, and replied.
The Service Club's storage room contained medicines, documents, tea leaves, and other items. However, once Yukino entered, she noticed extra courier boxes. She curiously checked them and realized they belonged to Teacher Shizuka Hiratsuka, making the entire small storage room appear incredibly cramped.
"Teacher Hiratsuka used the club's storage room without permission again, sigh..." Yukino shook her head. She found that the tea box had been placed on the top shelf, so she had to pick up a spare chair, stand on it, and reach out to grab it.
Chen Yao was slightly startled to see Yukinoshita Yukino suddenly standing on a chair to retrieve something. He asked, "Do you need help?"
Yukinoshita Yukino grabbed the shelf with one hand and reached for the tea box with the other, frowning as she replied, "Hmm... no need..."
Before she finished speaking, the shelf proved unexpectedly unstable. After a slight wobble, Yukino immediately lost her balance, losing control of her body and falling backward!
"Ah..."
In surprise, Yukinoshita Yukino could only let herself fall backward.
Seeing this, Chen Yao immediately reacted, lunging forward two steps, reaching out his hands from behind to catch Yukino. However, the space was too narrow. She crashed into Chen Yao, and the two of them tumbled down together with a thud.
"Ugh..."
Yukinoshita Yukino didn't fall too painfully, because a boy behind her absorbed the impact, but Chen Yao's fall was a bit miserable; his head hit the wooden board, making a hole.
"Classmate Chen Yao, are you alright?"
Seeing this, Yukinoshita Yukino quickly stood up to check his injuries.
"No, it's nothing..."
Chen Yao wasn't injured from the fall; after all, he possessed a robust physique, and such a small impact was nothing to him. However, Yukinoshita, who was bending down to examine him, looked at him with a worried expression, which made him slightly taken aback.
So this girl could show such an expression... "Don't move, let me check if you hurt the back of your head..." Yukinoshita Yukino frowned and cupped Chen Yao's head with both hands. The cramped space, combined with the examination, brought her very close. Chen Yao felt her chest was very near him... "No, Classmate Yukinoshita, there's no need..." Chen Yao narrowed his eyes helplessly, feeling inexplicably embarrassed. But as Yukinoshita Yukino was carefully checking, footsteps suddenly echoed from the club room, as if someone was approaching.
"Oh, it seems someone is coming..."
Chen Yao was sitting on the ground, and just as he heard the footsteps and was about to speak, Yukinoshita Yukino suddenly clapped her hand over his mouth!
Not only that, but in her haste, she immediately closed the sliding door of the storage room behind her!
"...??"
Chen Yao, whose mouth was suddenly covered by Yukino, looked at the strangely behaving girl in the dark, utterly confused, wondering what exactly was happening... Chapter 006: How Do You See Yourself?
The Service Club room quickly fell silent. Hachiman Hikigaya and Yui Yuigahama both arrived at the club room, only to find it empty, with no sign of Yukinoshita Yukino.
"That's strange, a Classmate said Yukino went towards the club room, didn't they?" The girl with cherry-blossom hair and two hair buns blinked her big eyes, asking in confusion.
"Well, maybe she already went back to class, since class is about to start..." The other person, a boy with somewhat heavy eyelids, didn't think too much and speculated.
However, they didn't know that Yukino was currently hiding in the storage room, in the pitch-black environment, one hand still tightly covering Chen Yao's mouth.
Don't ask why; she herself was a bit bewildered. She had just been closely examining Chen Yao's head, and when she heard footsteps, she immediately realized that such a posture and close proximity would lead to misunderstandings, and her clothes were a bit disheveled. In a panic, she immediately closed the door, resulting in both her and Chen Yao hiding in the storage room.
"Uh... what am I doing?"
Yukinoshita Yukino covered her forehead with one hand, troubled by this thought.
Wouldn't this situation cause even more misunderstanding? But she didn't know why her mind immediately came up with this solution, even doubting if her brain had just been dazed from the impact... Chen Yao, on the other hand, was very confused by Yukinoshita Yukino's actions. It had been a perfectly normal situation just now, so why did this pure and innocent girl suddenly have such a strong reaction?
And now his mouth was tightly covered by Yukino's hand, leaving him unable to move, afraid that Hachiman and the others outside would hear. After a soft sigh, Yukinoshita also seemed to realize her mistake, but she kept one hand over his mouth while calmly checking the movement outside, surprisingly calm and skilled...
"This isn't right, this environment!"
Through the dim light, Chen Yao saw Yukinoshita Yukino, who was also motionless, leaning forward, with an iron shelf blocking her head. Both of their hearts were pounding fast, worried about being discovered by the people outside.
But Chen Yao always felt that such a scene in manga or games was usually reserved for some adult-themed close-up, wasn't it?
While Yukinoshita Yukino was still trying to keep Chen Yao from making a sound, Chen Yao's face was ashen. Where was he, what was he doing, why was this happening?
"Hmm?" Just then, Yui Yuigahama noticed that the storage room wall was dented by something and asked curiously, "Kō-chan, the wall over there seems to be broken."
Hachiman Hikigaya turned his head and also noticed it. He looked at the wall curiously, then tried to push the door, but found it was locked, and he couldn't open it no matter what.
However, with that push, Yukinoshita Yukino and Chen Yao's hearts inside nearly jumped out. Both of them were plunged into extreme tension and unease in the darkness.
"...Perhaps a shelf fell down, the iron frame inside is loose. I'll go explain the problem to Teacher after school."
Hachiman Hikigaya hesitated for a moment, chose to give up, and said.
"I wonder where Yukino went. I heard she had a conflict with Classmate Kagurazuki from Class B, which startled me, so I immediately called you to check on Yukino, hoping she wasn't affected..."
Yui Yuigahama sighed, saying worriedly.
Yukinoshita Yukino felt inexplicably moved after hearing these words.
"That's why I said you don't need to worry about her at all. When it comes to arguing, she will never lose. After all, she's the Snow Woman who could make a thousand female Classmates cry from elementary school to high school. There's absolutely no problem."
Hachiman Hikigaya answered the question lightly, seemingly with great conviction.
Hearing this description, which was exactly like someone she knew, in the storage room, Yukino's fingers on Chen Yao suddenly tightened, her hatred fully expressed through her grip.
"Really, don't talk about Yukino like that, it's not nice." Yui Yuigahama complained in rebuttal.
However, after this conversation, both felt that class was about to start and left the club room.
After waiting a while, the storage room door slowly opened a crack. Yukino peered through the gap to check outside, and only after confirming that her two club members had left did she let out a sigh.
"Alright, that was a disaster..."
Yukinoshita Yukino emerged from the storage room, covered in dirt, and sighed.
"You didn't have to do that at all. I don't understand what you're afraid of..."
Chen Yao's clothes were also dirty. He looked at Yukino in confusion and retorted.
"I'm sorry, I don't know why I suddenly did that. Perhaps it's because I don't want others to see me with you..." Yukino replied with her usual sarcastic tone.
Unexpectedly, Chen Yao wasn't angry. He just narrowed his eyes and said, "Alright, alright, you were the one who wanted to consult me about information regarding Classmate Kagaribi no Kiriue. I know you're worried about others seeing us together; I can understand."
"..."
Yukino didn't speak, just quietly looked at Chen Yao for a moment. How did he see himself...? "Classmate Yukinoshita, class is about to start. I'll send you information about Classmate Kagurazuki via email. Although I don't know much, I advise you that her background is not simple. If you are to face her again, as payment for the information, please inform me."
After Chen Yao tidied his clothes, he said a word to Yukino and also left in a hurry.
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at him with some hesitation, seemingly having something to say, but ultimately didn't voice it... She quietly watched Chen Yao's departing back. At the very least... a thank you should have been said... ~·~·~·~·~
As night fell, in a dark and dense forest, a stretched limousine was driving on a mountain road.